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Posts Tagged: TV

As a librarian I’m always looking for new ways to get kids excited about reading and learning. Recently, however, I’ve been turning to an old favorite for new ideas: Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. For more than three decades, Fred Rogers sent a simple yet powerful message to children everywhere: “I like you just the way you are.” I was a loyal Mr. Rogers fan growing up, so when Amazon added more than 300 episodes to their streaming services I decided to revisit my favorite television neighbor.

I expected to revisit a familiar yet dated childhood hero. I thought I’d watch one or two episodes and be done with it. But I found myself mesmerized from the opening song to the closing credits. I realized I had tapped into a treasure trove of ideas and early learning strategies that are every bit as relevant today as they were in 1968, 1978, 1988, 1998, and 2001 when Fred Rogers signed off on the series finale.

March 20th, 2015 would have been Fred Rogers’ 87th birthday. Join us as we celebrate his life with activities, songs, and fun.

One of the most talked about new TV shows of 2013 had to be True Detective, HBO’s crime/buddy drama set in backwater Louisiana.

One reason it was so popular is that HBO has the magic touch when it comes to dramas (The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, etc.). Another reason is the cast – two actors (Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson) star in it, both of whom have normally stuck to feature film roles, especially McConaughey, who in 2013 was having a year actors only dream of, culminating in a Best Actor Oscar for his role in Dallas Buyers Club.

Whereas all procedural shows are close ended episodes, serial dramas are the complete opposite. A show with an ongoing storyline where not all loose ends are tied up in a neat little bow by episode’s end. In order to sustain the longevity of the show, each episode ends in a cliffhanger and character arcs and multiple subplots take time to develop over the course of half (generally 12 or 13 episodes) or a full season (22-24 episodes). A binge viewing is recommended in order to fully comprehend the story as a whole. This type of TV requires viewers to watch the show from the very beginning in order to understand what is happening. If you missed an episode, it is advisable to view the previous episode before catching the newest one. To that end, this is what I refer to as appointment television.

Below is a list of SOME of the RECOMMENDED popular dramas available at the Niles Library!

24 (Though the 9th season has yet to be released on DVD, you can catch all previous 8 seasons here).

Set in real time, this popular action drama follows the adventures of counter-terrorist agent, Jack Bauer, as he thwarts terrorist attacks both foreign and domestic over the course of a day. If you enjoy intriguing mysteries, edgy and spectacular action, and high stakes drama, you will thoroughly enjoy this show! The twists and turns are a mile a minute.

Television is a vast wasteland. With so many shows on right now, how do you know which one to choose from? Dramas and comedies are the most popular forms of genre. But within the context of dramas, what is the right show for you? This blog series is a handy guide to some of the most popular dramas (divided into subcategories: Character Driven Procedural, Plot Driven Procedural, Serial Dramas and Supernatural Dramas) currently airing today, some of which are based on ratings, others based on my recommendations. All of which are available either at the Niles Library (click on the link to access online catalog) or as interlibrary loan.